Fritos Chocolate Crunchies

makes approximately 40 small “crunchies”

Ingredients

3 cups Fritos, crushed
3/4 cup Heath Bits o’ Brickle toffee bits (optional)
1/2 bag of sweetened Coconut, toasted

3 oz Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate squares (I used 62% Scharffen Berger Chocolate)
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 bag of large Marshmallows

Directions

Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and make sure you have room in the refrigerator or freezer for it. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Using a gallon ziptop bag and a rolling pin, crush 3 cups of Fritos. Start by pounding, but then simply roll the rolling pin over the bag until you have somewhat fine pieces.

Pour crushed Fritos into a large bowl and add the Heath toffee bits.

Place sweetened coconut onto the parchment lined baking tray in an even layer, spreading it as thin as you can. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until most of the coconut has a golden brown appearance. You’ll need to check it often, and stir it with a spatula to get even color. Watch it closely, as coconut goes from un-toasted to toasted quickly, but it takes a while for it to get there.

Once coconut is toasted, pick up the parchment paper it’s on and dump it into the large bowl with the Fritos and toffee bits. Stir to combine evenly. Place the parchment paper back on the baking tray, as you can reuse it for cooling the candies.

In a microwave safe bowl, place the baking chocolate and chocolate chips. Melt 1 minute at a time in the microwave, stirring after each time, until all the chocolate is completely melted. Add the chocolate to the Fritos mixture and stir with a spatula until all of the mixture is coated in chocolate.

In a second microwave safe bowl, place the butter and marshmallows. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave. Remove the bowl from the microwave and continually stir until the butter and marshmallows form a smooth sauce. Pour this into the Fritos and chocolate mixture.

Stir, stir, stir the Frito-chocolate-marshmallow mixture until the marshmallow is evenly distributed, almost like Rice Krispie Treats. The mix will not be as sticky or stuck together as Rice Krispie Treats, but will appear similar.

Using a small cookie scoop sprayed with cooking spray, scoop the mixture into small balls onto the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place each ball about 1/4″ apart. The balls may appear very “loose”, but will come together in the refrigerator.

Place the tray in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to allow the chocolate to completely set. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.